P4 Job Search Portfolio Project

Whether you’re planning on getting a job in your field for the first time after graduation, or you’ve been in your field for several years, you may find yourself seeking a new job. The job search process can involve a lot of research and patience, and even some luck. But no matter what field you are in or what kind of job you’re after, you need to be able to present yourself professionally in documents such as letters and résumés, and in face-to-face communication situations. This project asks you to compose a few documents related to finding a job. You will need to find a real job listing which you will use as the basis for your project. Ideally, this job listing is one that you could legitimately apply for directly after graduation. All of the documents you write will be geared toward getting this job. Hopefully, once this project is done, you will have documents you can reuse or use as templates to generate professional job documents in the future.

Components of the Portfolio

Your job search portfolio will include the following:

Career Field Summary –Write a 1-2 page single spaced “summary” about your discipline, career field, and possible job title(s) based on what you learned. Communicate this information to your instructor in writing. Use principles of good professional writing and include headings/subheadings for readability. You may want to include:

Description of your realistic ideal job: including preferred geographic location, business or company type/size, salary range, opportunities for advancement, working environment, etc.

Career requirements & recommendations: including things such as degree requirements (possibly including internships), professional licensing, additional tests, etc. Include items that are not mandatory, but sometimes listed as preferences, such as experience with particular software, experience, membership in professional organizations, etc.

Possible Professional Organizations: describe professional organizations you could join, provide a brief description of the organization, and state what you think you might gain from joining or participating.

A note about the summary: The purpose of the research summary is to demonstrate that you’ve done some reading about and inquiry into your career field before you embark on a job search. For that reason, it should be an honest “summary,” meaning that you do some reading on your field, and then sit down and write up a summary of what you discovered. DO NOT provide direct quotes or cite/document sources. DO NOT cut and paste direct phrases or sentences from any source or simply paraphrase someone else’s sentences. Please write your summary in your own words.

Job Listing for a desirable, real job in your field that you could likely obtain directly after graduation. Print or copy/paste the listing. Please also include an accessible URL. Do not provide job listings for temp agencies or telemarketing positions.

Cover Letter for the job listing above to accompany your resume. Your letter should be in block format and ideally, addressed to a real person at the company’s mailing address (you may have to look this information up online if it isn’t provided in the listing). Some listings may ask you to send documents via email. Ignore this and write a traditional cover letter.

Traditional Résumé intended for the job listing above. MS Word or other templates WILL NOT be accepted. Use good document design and do it yourself.

Interview Question Responses – Answer all six questions in the section below as if you were asked them during an interview for the job listing you have found. Of course, prepare your answers professionally (use tenants of good professional writing, plan your response, and proofread/edit).

Thank-You Letter to be sent after the interview for the above job listing. Send a brief letter to thank the interviewer. You may make up details as necessary.

Peer Review Sheets - Please include any/all peer review sheets that you received and copies of your drafts that your peer reviewer(s) marked at the end of your project. Just copy and paste these at the end of your project.

Resources

Portfolio Submission

Print all documents, organize them according to the order above, and place them in a paper pocket folder. Bring to our regular class room at 4pm on Monday, December 6th.

If you want to submit your documents electronically, you MUST scan all resume drafts/peer review sheets (fronts and backs) and include them with your project. Uploads must be by 4pm on Monday, Dec 6th.

P4 Interview Questions

As part of your job portfolio project, answer all six questions as if you were asked them as if they were asked during an interview for the job listing you have found. Of course, prepare your answers professionally (use tenants of good professional writing and information from the Locker textbook, plan your response, and proofread/edit). If you are asked a behavioral question, answer using the STAR method. If appropriate, show your knowledge of the company/organization in your response.

• What makes you think you’re qualified for this position at this company?

• Tell me about a time that you had a lot of work to do in a short time. How did you manage the situation?

• Describe a work or school situation where you had to interact with an irate person (customer, supervisor, group member) and describe how you handled it.

• What do you see yourself doing in 5 or 10 years?

• What is your greatest weakness?

• How has college prepared you for this career?

Job Search Portfolio Project Assessment Criteria

The Research Summary will be considered above average (A/B) if it

Includes overview of field

Includes thorough description of ideal job

Identifies common career requirements and recommendations

Identifies possible professional organizations, includes a description, and states what might be gained from membership

The Traditional Resume will be considered above average (A/B) if it

Is clearly chronological or skills based

Is obviously targeted towards a particular career field, industry, or particular position. In other words, it includes a well-written objective statement, summary of qualifications, OR a skill section clearly tailored towards a particular job advertisement or description. • Includes descriptive action verb statements that effectively describe duties, successes, and outcomes

Is formatted professionally. It should be aesthetically pleasing, easy to read, and not based on a template

Fulfills guidelines on the “Checklist for Resumes” (Locker page 477)

The Scannable/In Line Resume will be considered above average (A/B) if it

Is free of formatting and may be clearly scanned, in 12 or 14 point standard font, and left aligned (unjustified)

Includes “keywords” with common search terms and synonyms

Includes lots of nouns in place of verbs, when possible

Fulfills guidelines on the “Checklist for Resumes” (Locker page 477)

The Cover and Thank-You Letter will be considered above average (A/B) if they

The Interview Responses will be considered above average (A/B) if they

Employ STAR response method on behavioral questions

Show knowledge of company/position when applicable

Are professional and contribute to good ethos

Overall, projects will be considered above average (A/B) if they

Must be professionally written and proofread

Must be complete

Must include all requirements as stated on project outline

NOTE: A project will not be accepted if it is incomplete. Please be sure to follow all guidelines listed on this P4 Information Sheet. If any document submitted for Project 4 is found to be plagiarized, in whole or in part, you will receive a 0% F for the project. At the instructor’s discretion, plagiarism can result in a 0% F for the semester grade and a permanent note on the student’s transcript. Repeated cases of plagiarism may result in expulsion from the university. Please refer to the University Honor Code in the University Catalogue for more information.